Theoretical analysis of error transfer from surface slope to refractive ray and their application to the solar concentrated collector

TL;DR

This paper develops a general geometric optics-based equation to analyze how surface slope errors affect reflected ray errors in various solar concentrator types, aiding in design optimization.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive equation for error transfer analysis applicable to multiple solar reflector geometries, enhancing understanding of optical error propagation.

Findings

Slope errors transfer to focus rays depending on incidence angle.

Error transfer coefficients vary with reflector type and geometry.

The analysis guides improved solar concentrator design to minimize optical errors.

Abstract

This paper presents the general equation to calculate the standard deviation of reflected ray error from optical error through geometry optics, applying the equation to calculate the standard deviation of reflected ray error for 8 kinds of solar concentrated reflector, provide typical results. The results indicate that the slope errors in two direction is transferred to any one direction of the focus ray when the incidence angle is more than 0 for solar trough and heliostats reflector; for point focus Fresnel lens, point focus parabolic glass mirror, line focus parabolic galss mirror, the error transferring coefficient from optical to focus ray will increase when the rim angle increase; for TIR-R concentrator, it will decrease; for glass heliostat, it relates to the incidence angle and azimuth of the reflecting point. Keywords: optic error, standard deviation, refractive ray error, concentrated solar collector